Aggie and the Ghost

Description: An ALA Notable Children's Book
A New York Magazine Best New Book for Kids
A LitHub Most Anticipated Children's Book of 2025
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year

"This might be a perfect picture book." --Quill & Quire (starred review)

"A solitary child and her rule-breaking ghost roommate learn the value of compromise in this cheeky picture book. --Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"A book that captures the dance of unlikely bonds and a way to move from a place of acceptance." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From Matthew Forsythe, the creator of the acclaimed and beloved Pokko and the Drum, comes a "subtle, sweet" (Booklist, starred review) picture book about rules. And sharing. And an epic game of tic-tac-toe.

Aggie is very excited to live on her own--until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can't be fixed with a carefully considered list of rules: No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.

But the ghost doesn't like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe--winner gets the house.

Brief description: Matthew Forsythe is the author-illustrator of Pokko and the Drum, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, a recipient of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor, and a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book. He is also an illustrator for animated films and television. His credits include Adventure Time, The Midnight Gospel, and Robin Robin, a stop-motion animated musical from Aardman Animations and Netflix. He lives in Los Angeles. Visit him at ComingUpforAir.net.

Review Quotes: [T]he book as a whole successfully leans more toward weird than pedantic, eschewing a familiar friendship storyline for one that plenty of introverted youngsters will find resonant. There's lots of potential here for beginning readers, with stealthy repetition, short but guiding sentences, and a steady, compelling pace, all elevated by snarky humor.--BCCB "June 2025"